BRUNCH AT BOTANICA

“Vegetables, cocktails, natural wine, good times” – if that doesn’t just about sum up the epitome of life in Silverlake, then call me crazy. “Veggies, cocktails, natural wine and good times” is also exactly what you can expect to experience at Silverlake’s latest little obsession, Botanica. Botanica is an adorable little restaurant and market right in the heart of the Silver Lake Blvd action, and in just a few short months has become a beloved local mainstay.

Known for their market driven concept and menu, you’ll obviously find a fair share of fresh locally sourced ingredients, and what has come from that is truly remarkable. Everything about the space and menu says “open air, fresh, local, sun drenched, and delicious.” I went in to Botanica last weekend to try their “daytime” menu and was so pleasantly surprised over just how much I loved everything. The whole farmers market farm to table thing isn’t anything I haven’t seen before, only every time I dine in LA, but there’s something special about the way Botanica took the concept and made it something different. It could be because of the market component, it could be because the menu is so heavily focused on fresh vegetables, it could be all of the above, but there’s no denying they do things a little differently – in a very good way.

I had a 10am reservation and fully expected to walk in to 1 – 2 tables max, but instead I walked in to an already completely full restaurant – inside and out on the patio. The neighborhood has clearly quickly taken to their new neighborhood joint, and I tend to take those kinds of observations as pretty good signs. LA is a tough crowd, especially the Silverlake bunch, so if they approve… you might want to take their word for it.

Botanica is open Weds – Sunday and offer both a “daytime” and “evening” menu each day. Botanica is obviously (to me) a great casual place to grab a glass of wine and/or a beautiful fresh bite to eat, but most importantly – if nothing else – it’s a fantastic local spot that truly embraces and epitomizes their neighborhood roots.

Must Order | If you decide to head to Botanica during the day, you will be ordering from their “daytime” menu which offers both breakfast and lunch type options. I ordered the Turkish Eggs (poached farm eggs, aleppo-urfa butter, garlicky sheep’s milk yogurt, charred scallions, lemony salad & cornmeal focaccia), the Roasted Tomato Tartine (seared summer squash, sweet corn, ricotta salata, arugula pesto & mint on Bub & Grandma’s crusty bread), and the Cake For Breakfast! (almond-orange-honey breakfast cake & roasted fruit – gf) and ate just about every single morsel of every single dish. The Tomato Tartine was definitely the star of the savory dishes; it was a bit tricky to eat but only because it was piled high with the most incredible veggies I’ve ever had. And the Cake For Breakfast… easy. Obviously. Get it. Never regret it.